This blog presents post of topics that I find interesting or on which I have opinions I want to express. I aim to publish new posts at least twice a week.
Tabletop Games
Board game reviews, reports on board game and table-top role playing game (TTRPG) play sessions, discussion on game mechanisms, and other thoughts
Character Development
Until recently, making a character for the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D or 5E) was tedious – getting a copy of a paper character sheet; flipping through multiple books to find the race descriptions, the class descriptions, equipment lists, spell lists; ensuring that what you come up with follows the rules. The D&D Beyond website has made that a lot easier by providing an electronic, web-based character sheet; making (most of) the rules available directly from the character sheet; and enforcing those rules – unless you tell it to make an exception. An interesting idea for a character can be implemented in a few minutes – at least the basics. Here, those characters can be fleshed out.
Arthuriana – Historical Arthur
An examination of the historical sources for Arthur and 5th century Britain. We look at archaeological and historical research, plus relevant first millenium sources. The goal is to develop an understanding of the politics and economics of post-Roman Britain. This understanding informs conclusions about whether Arthur existed and, if he did, his role in defending against the invaders from the Continent, Pictland (now Scotland), and Ireland.
Arthuriana – Matter of Britain
An examination of the Arthurian literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. This body of literature develops Merlin, Lancelot, Camelot, the Round Table, the pursuit of the Holy Grail, and other standards of the popular understanding of the Arthur myth. We’ll start with the keystone of Geoffrey of Monmouth. Then we’ll spend considerable time on the Continent with Wace, Chretien de Trois, Marie de France, and Robert de Boron. We’ll spend quite some time with the eleven volumes of the massive Lancelot-Grail cycle. We’ll skip over to Germany for Eschenbach’s Parzival. Then back to England for Layamon’s Brut and a variety of short works, leading up to Malory’s definitive Le Morte d’Arthur. Finally, we’ll look at the Welsh sources as a group. After looking at the sources individually, we’ll compare and contrast them, particularly the different portrayals of the key Arthurian themes.
World Building
This section captures the history, geography, factions, and other background for the world of the d’Ameston Agency, the mercenary company that is the core of my short stories, novels, and D&D homebrew adventures.
Video Games
What I’ve been playing, what I want to play, comments on video game YouTube and Twitch channels, and so forth
Den of the Red Wolf 